Harding University vs. Florida Southern

Should I go to Harding University or Florida Southern College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Harding University or Florida Southern is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Harding University vs. Florida Southern College comparison
Harding University Florida Southern College College 3 College 4
Harding University Florida Southern College
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Overview

Harding University Florida Southern
Location Searcy, AR Lakeland, FL
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 4,805 3,281
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #477 #425
Religious Affiliation Churches of Christ United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harding.edu flsouthern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harding University Florida Southern
Tuition (In State) $22,500 $39,700
Tuition (Out of State) $22,500 $39,700
Room & Board $7,984 $12,400
Avg Net Price $19,558 $27,324
Avg Grant Aid $14,682 $27,730
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

Harding University Florida Southern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,254 11,120
Admitted 1,017 6,295
Acceptance Rate 45.1% 56.6%
Enrolled % 78.9% 12%
Avg High School GPA 3.71 3.73
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 20/28 22/29
SAT Range 1040/1300 1080/1290
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025

Academics

Harding University Florida Southern
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Harding University Florida Southern
Graduation Rate 63% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,800 $42,700
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $24,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $248

Diversity

Harding University Florida Southern
% Men 42% 37%
% Women 58% 63%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 74%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 11%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 6% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Harding University Florida Southern
% In-State 28% 51%
% Out-of-State 68% 45%

Campus

Harding University Florida Southern
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Harding University is larger than than Florida Southern based on total student enrollment (4,805 students vs. 3,281 students)

Harding University vs. Florida Southern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harding University or Florida Southern?

  • Florida Southern College is 76.4% more expensive to attend than Harding University for in-state tuition ($39,700.00 vs. $22,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 76.4% higher at Florida Southern than Harding University ($39,700.00 vs. $22,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harding University than Florida Southern ($19,558 vs. $27,324)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Harding University are 55.3% lower than costs at Florida Southern College ($7,984 vs. $12,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida Southern College than Harding University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Southern College students is 88.9% larger than aid received Harding University ($27,730 vs. $14,682)

Harding University vs. Florida Southern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Harding University or Florida Southern? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Florida Southern or Harding University .

  • The average SAT score at Florida Southern College (1172) is 37 points higher than at Harding University (1135)
  • Incoming Florida Southern students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Harding University (25)
  • Accepted freshman Florida Southern students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at Harding University (3.71)
  • Florida Southern has a higher acceptance rate (56.6%) than Harding University (45.1%)

Harding University vs. Florida Southern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Harding University or Florida Southern? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Florida Southern and Harding University.

  • The graduation rate at Harding University is higher than Florida Southern College (63% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Harding University earn on average $2,100 more per year than Florida Southern graduates after ten years. ($44,800 vs. $42,700)
  • Florida Southern College students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Harding University graduates. ($24,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Florida Southern graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Harding University graduates. ($248 vs. $279)
  • More Harding University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Florida Southern students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 65%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/